Thinking for Poem - Imagining a Poem, the winning entry of the 2019 Hangeul Idea Awards, is a platform that highlights a new word every day. A user must write a short poem using the word of the day and share the poem through this program with other app users.
By Lee Jihae
Photos = King Sejong Institute Foundation
The 15 prize-winning works of the fifth annual Hangeul Idea Awards, a contest designed to spur ideas for innovative products with Hangeul themes, were announced on Sept. 30.
Hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and run by the King Sejong Institute Foundation, the event was held from July 19 to Aug. 19 and used the categories of content, information technology and design. A combined 633 works from 100 countries were submitted.
The grand prize went to Thinking for Poem - Imagining a Poem, a platform that highlights a new word every day. A user must write a short poem using that word and share the poem on the program with other app users.
In the content section, the winner was the board game Hangeul Do, Gae, Gul, Yut, Mo. Users play yutnori, a traditional four-stick board game, and do, gae, gul, yut and mo are scores earned from the throwing of yut (sticks). Users throw yut and apply the Korean consonant that aligns with their scores to come up with a word that matches the given image, and then move the number of steps based on the stick score they got.
EyeKor, an app using smartphone cameras and augmented reality to teach and translate Hangeul, won the IT section.
In the design section, the award went to "Democratic Letter, Democratic Object Using Hangeul," or paper clips resembling Hangeul letters in form.
Hangeul Do, Gae, Gul, Yu, Mo is a game that has users throw yut (sticks) and come up with a word using the Korean consonant that matches their scores. They also move a certain number of steps based on their scores.
Several of the submitted works were by non-Koreans. Somewhere in Korea, one of the two recipients of the Special Foreigner Award, is a travel app that explains in real time the meanings and origins behind the names of tourist attractions in Korea. The other was Absolute Peace, which combines the science and art behind Hangeul to design indoor goods.
Lee Chan-gyu, a professor of Korean language and literature at Chung-Ang University in Seoul and a contest judge, said, "The works submitted overall were outstanding."
"Many of them emphasized utility and had the potential for expansion."
The winners will receive aid in turning their ideas into test products through methods such as consultations and participation in exhibitions.
The app Somewhere in Korea was one of two entries to win the Special Foreigner Award at the 2019 Hangeul Idea Awards. The app explains in real time the meanings and origins behind the names of tourist attractions in Korea.
More information on the award-winning works is available in the link below:
www.hangeulaward.co.kr
jihlee08@korea.kr
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